Falconcina Oneshot Collection
by Rie Sonomura
Summary: A collection of Falconcina (Captain Falcon/Lucina) oneshots. Various themes and tones, some may or may not be related to other fics. Content Warnings as necessary per oneshot.
1. Metamorphosis

**lul idk where this idea came from... guess I kinda wanna try coloring my hair sometime? Esp since I stream on Twitch but I hate the idea of bleaching**

**and so this... idea came about. Enjoy. Also I really, REALLY wanna make Falconcina more popular,,, aaaand there's a guest appearance by the Style Savvy Stylist, who's a Spirit in Ultimate! For this fic I'm naming her Sally. c:**

**also uhh Super Smash Prose. Smash Bros Fanfic (and fanart) server. Discord dot gg slash ****gDX48ua. Join if you like... please?**

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_**Metamorphosis**_

_Holy crap, I can't believe I'm doing this, _were Captain Falcon's thoughts as he walked to the Smash City beauty boutique.

Yes, a beauty boutique. Not shopping for anything for his girlfriend Lucina, but for... himself.

He was at first worried that other Smashers and residents of the city would see him entering and get the wrong impression. Some would probably applaud him for supposedly embracing his feminine side, others would judge him big time.

But it wasn't like that at all. And it wasn't like he could ask Lucina to get what he wanted for him, and asking any other random lady at Smash City would just be... awkward.

He wanted it to be a surprise to her.

And by "it", he wanted to try something with his hair. Despite constantly wearing the helmet, ever since he and Lucina became a couple, he became more comfortable with showing who he was without the helmet, at least when he went on dates with her.

And he couldn't help but feel as of late that he wasn't on the same... level as her, at least in one aspect.

The hair. She had naturally blue hair. His hair was raven black, and he thought, maybe it would be fun to try an unnatural shade when he went out with her at least once? Only thing was, he hated the idea of bleaching, and most dyes wouldn't show up on his hair if it wasn't bleached, they'd only tint it subtly when he went out in the sunlight.

He wanted to make a statement with his hair, at least once. He wanted it to pop, but also not be messy or leave his hair brittle - he knew how much Lucina loved to run her fingers through her hair and playfully muss it up, whether on dates or even when they got a little more... up close and personal. He didn't want the color to run off on her fingers, or for the hair to lose its softness, so he did some research and apparently this new thing called "hair color wax" was the perfect, bleach-free way to color his hair with minimal mess or complications, and that it would wash out easily when he was done with it.

Of course, there was only one place in Smash City that sold the stuff, and if he ordered it online, Snake would grill him all day about it and he'd never escape the embarrassment.

There was no other way around this. He had to do it, and better to get it over with sooner.

Looking around cautiously for a moment, he muttered, "Screw it," and walked through the automatic doors into the boutique.

The establishment was surprisingly empty today. A catchy pop song played on the shop's radio system.

"_You mutter under your breath that you're feeling envious (don't feel so down)_  
_But even on such cloudy days_  
_A brand new day is coming your way..._"

_Can't help but feel like a fish out of water here... even if this music is catchy, I wouldn't be caught dead listening to this... _Suddenly, he spotted Cloud Strife browsing a section seemingly meant for hair styling; hopefully for men.

_Eh... I guess it can't be all that tough if he's here. _He walked over to Cloud. "Hey, Cloud."

"Ah!" Cloud was slightly startled at first, but upon recognizing it was another man talking to him, he calmed down a little and turned around to face the Captain. "Oh... hey, Captain. You're not gonna -"

"Judge you? Of course not," Falcon chuckled. "It's actually a bit of a relief to see you here, as well. I'm looking for something for my hair, but I had my reservations about going here at first."

"You too?" Cloud questioned. "You don't strike me as the type to want to do stuff with your hair, but if you want to... I just go here cuz this place carries my favorite hair gel. What are ya looking for?"

"I'm looking for... this specific product to color my hair. Kinda wanna make a statement on... well, my next date."

"With Lucina? Yeah, I get it... I saw you and her at that fancy restaurant ran by Chef Kawasaki a week and a half ago, and you weren't wearing your helmet then. Gotta say, it's kinda refreshing to see you with that much confidence that you can show the real you with ease like that."

"Heh, thanks..." Smiling earnestly, the Captain continued, "It's amazing how much I've changed since I got to know Lucina. I guess you could say I... underwent a metamorphosis. She has, too, in a sense. Way I see it... we keep pushing ourselves to be the best versions of each other."

"I can tell," Cloud commented. "It shows in how you two interact." Unbeknownst to the two hair product enthusiasts, a small figure approached them as they spoke.

"So, what's the occasion?" Cloud asked the Captain.

"I'm sure you've already heard, but... Sonic's literally making his big screen debut soon! Gotta say, I'm kinda jealous."

"Yeah, it's kinda impossible to go anywhere without seeing an ad," Cloud chuckled. "Let me guess... Lucina wants to see it?"

"Is it that obvious?" The Captain laughed. "I was also confused as to why she wanted to watch that for our _date _\- wouldn't that be something she'd watch with her friends? Don't... most girls watch some chick flicks with their boyfriends or something?"

"Guess she wants to support her fellow Smasher's endeavors," Cloud shrugged. "Nothing wrong with that."

"I get that, and I'm all for doing the same thing myself, but -"

"Hello!" Chimed a small, perky female voice.

"BWAAAAAAAAAAH!" Recognizing Isabelle's small, squeaky voice, the two men turned around rapidly and shouted in shock.

"Do... you two need something...?" Isabelle tilted her head to the side.

"W-w-what are you doing here, Isabelle...?" Cloud timidly asked as the Captain just stared in an intimidated manner and panted shakily.

"I got a part time job here!" Isabelle beamed.

"Y-you're a secretary, and also a... beauty store clerk?" The Captain cautiously questioned.

"Well, about the secretary thing..." She looked down and sighed. "The citizens of the Mayor and I's world are moving to an island, so... guess this'll be my new way of making ends meet."

"Oh... I see." Cloud seemed to calm down a bit.

"So... you're not..." Falcon trailed off.

"Judging you? Of course not!" Isabelle said happily. "Besides, I know why you two are here, but if you ever want to..." She began shyly wiggling her left leg as she continued, "...explore your more feminine side..."

"Hard pass," Cloud declined her offer. "I did that once, makeup, dress, the whole package." Noticing surprised stares coming from Falcon and Isabelle, Cloud countered, "Look, it was to save Tifa, okay?! It's a long story..."

"Well, you did what you had to," The Captain said in an understanding tone. "You're actually pretty brave for pulling that off - I wouldn't be caught dead doing something like that, much less would I be able to pull it off. I mean, _look at me_!" He, Cloud and Isabelle shared a hearty laugh.

"Anyway, can I help you find what you need?" Isabelle volunteered.

"I know where to find my hair gel, but can you help Cap find something?"

"Yeah, it's..." The Captain began shyly. "Do you have... anything like this?" He showed her the image of what he wanted on his smartphone.

"Ooh!" Isabelle clapped. "So you want to color your girlfriend's hair?"

Chuckling, the Captain clarified, "Hahaha, no. It's for... me. I have jet black hair and... wanna experiment with making a statement with it, but I'm not coming within 10 feet of bleach."

"Great choice!" Isabelle chimed. "Follow me."

...

After requesting the Captain give her a quite literal boost to reach the products, Isabelle picked out the colors of hair color wax he wanted and handed it to him. "Thanks," he told her with a smile.

"No problem!" Isabelle replied. "Just head over to Sally to check out!"

"Sally...?"

"She's a famous stylist. She runs this place," Cloud explained. "She also runs a men's clothing boutique. I can help you with picking out an outfit, if you want. Just hit me up."

"I might consider it," The Captain told Cloud with a grin. "Thanks for... well, helping me feel a bit less self conscious about this."

"No problem," Cloud replied. Noticing the Captain still looking a bit intimidated when he eyed Sally at the cashier, he offered, "Want me to come with? I'm a bit of a regular here, after all."

"Sure, I think that'd be best."

...

Once he purchased the items, the Captain headed back to his flat, hiding the items in his pockets until he got to his and Snake's shared apartment. Noticing Snake hadn't returned home yet, he let out a sigh of relief and walked to the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind him as he took out the goods and set them on the counter. Removing his helmet, he then grabbed one tin of the blue hair wax and read the instructions.

"May get messy... keep away from clothes? Oh boy..." He removed his gloves and wristcuffs, and put some latex gloves on his hands as his hair was short enough to not reach his jacket. Opening the blue jar first, he brought the jar close to his face, wincing slightly from the chemical odor, and dipped two fingers of his gloved hand into the substance, first testing the color on a small patch of hair before proceeding to spread the vibrant blue styling product from the roots to halfway short of the ends of his hair. Opening the other jar, he scooped some white hair color wax, proceeded to mix some of it with the blue product, and applied the slightly lighter blue to the uncolored portion stopping just short of the very tips. Finally, he took some white and applied that to the tips. Taking a comb, he combed through it, effectively making a perfect gradient from bright blue to icy white-blue, rinsing the comb afterwards.

"Heh... not bad..." He muttered with a grin. "Just gotta let this dry for an hour or two and-"

He was interrupted by a knock at the bathroom door.

_Oh God. Please don't let it be Snake... _His heart started to beat faster. "I-I'm in here, Snake! I'll let ya know when I'm done!"

"...Babe?"

"...Lucina?"

_That's right... I had Master Hand give Lucina a copy of the keys to Snake and I's apartment... Samus doesn't, which is why Snake is often out of the flat, he's often with her when he's out and about.  
_

"I was going to go in to freshen up... I'd like to head downtown with you today, just to have a look around..."

"Oh uh... yeah. Just, one moment please!"

Taking off the latex gloves, he put his regular gloves and wristcuffs back on before unlocking and opening the door.

"Hi darling - oh!" Lucina's eyes were immediately drawn to the color job on Falcon's hair.

"Y-yeah. I wanted to... experiment with something new, especially since we'll be seeing that movie soon and... I guess... I wanted it to fit the occas-" He was interrupted by Lucina reaching a hand to touch his hair.

"Ah, not yet," He said, gently pushing her hand away. "It needs a few hours to dry. Don't want this rubbing off on your fingers now. Or staining your gloves, for that matter."

"I get it..." Lucina giggled, prompting her boyfriend to chuckle as well. Looking away shyly, she commented, "Um... you don't think it's weird that I have naturally blue hair, right? That's not why..."

"Of course not," The Captain reassured her. "I just... thought it would be fun to do something different from time to time. Look, I'll even do a fire look with red and orange next time! The stuff washes out easy after all!" The couple burst into laughter.

"That would be fun," Lucina told him with a smile. "Think you'll be ok with a walk for now?"

"Yeah, I guess..." The Captain shrugged. "Long as nobody tries to touch my hair for two hours." The two laughed again before heading out for a nice afternoon on the town.

**_Fin_**

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**WHOO I guess this starts Fluffuary! I started this a week ago actually, but finished just today!**

**Anyway, that epilogue to _Hiding in my Skin _will hopefully be coming reeeeeal soon :3 I also have another Falconcina oneshot and a Terryleth (Terry x F!Byleth) planned too, at least once F!Byleth is added to the character list on FFN. AND it's also Femslash February so except some Bayotena and MAYBE DaiZel? Yes. Daisy x Zelda. You read that right.**

**Idk but... I feel like I'm really getting back into the swing of writing big time, esp when I got a very glowing review on AO3 that even encouraged me to keep on writing, and... I feel like this could be My Year for writing! So... stay tuned. c:**

**side note i unironically want to see the Sonic movie I'm glad that like they actually listened to the criticisms of the first trailer and improved it where it needed it. the writing looks genuinely entertaining and funny too imo**


	2. She is my Tranquil Night

**So this is taken from a prompt on the r/Fanfiction discord server, from a user who called themselves Midlou: "One of your ships has a nightmare in the middle of the night and half wakes up to be consoled by their partner. When they wake up in the morning they thought everything INCLUDING the consoling/comfort from their other was a dream, cuteness ahoy when they talk to their partner about it."**

**naturally of course I decided to convert the one Falconcina oneshot I had, Metamorphosis, into a oneshot collection. This'll remain T as there'll be no smut, but varying themes, sometimes intense. Some may be connected to some of my other fics, some may not. This'll all be mostly light hearted though.**

**this one is directly connected to the epilogue of _Hiding in my Skin, Broken from Within _\- remember when Falcon mentioned he kept hearing Galeem's voice in his nightmares after the events of WoL, a few nights before the "six months later" cut? Lucina's flashback of Dharkon manipulating her is only in the epilogue though, as the situation when it happens is... not fit for this fic.  
**

**Content warning: implied sexuality i guess, as they're...spending the night together. They are nude, but nothing is seen as they're covered by the sheets.  
**

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**_She is my Tranquil Night_**

"Nnngh... no..."

Lucina awoke to hear her lover, Captain Falcon, mumbling in a somewhat feverish, fearful manner as he slept. The two were spending the night together as Snake was out, reaching out to another potential fighter outside of Smash City.

It was usually easy to get a good night's sleep after those moments of passion... but tonight, it was different. Even though he still held her in his arms, his face was soaked in sweat, his eyes shut tight and his eyebrows furrowed in distress.

"Captain...?" She timidly asked him. When he didn't respond, she freed one of her arms to gently stroke his face.

"Babe... are you okay?"

"Uhhh..." The Captain stirred, slowly opening his eyes to see Lucina comforting him, a concerned look on her face. "Lucina..."

"You... didn't look so good back there..." She consoled him, hugging him tenderly. "Anything you want to talk about?"

"I..." Falcon looked to the side hesitantly.

_It's funny. I thought I'd be over what Galeem did to me... separating me from her, trying to pit me against her... who knows if **she's **over what Dharkon did to her... I don't want to be seen as weak right now..._

"I...It's nothing," The Captain stammered with a sheepish smile.

"I know it's not nothing..." Lucina told him. "Remember how you asked me what was wrong back in the Dark Realm? And how we agreed that we wouldn't keep secrets from each other anymore?" Smiling softly as her finger traced over the scar on his left eyebrow, she reassured him, "You can tell me anything, my love..."

_But... she's so strong now... despite all she's been through. Or perhaps, it's **because **of all she's been through. I'm sure she'd understand..._

"Of course..." The Captain sighed. "I... had a nightmare."

"That much is obvious," Lucina giggled softly. "You wouldn't mind telling me what it was about...?"

"Just... some bad memories of... my past, and recent events," Falcon told a half-truth. "And that... I was separated from you again..."

_And yet, I'm too scared to tell her that it's memories of Galeem specifically... I'm such a hypocrite. _

"I guess it'll be too painful for you to continue talking about it?" Lucina asked her lover, noticing the anxious look on his face, even though his anxiety wasn't because the dream was too horrifying, but something else entirely.

"Yeah..." The Captain sighed, closing his eyes. "I will say that... that nightmare kinda made me feel unsafe, even in the safety of my own room... even in the dark. I know it must look absurd, but right now, I'm a bit afraid of the dark..."

_What if the light of morning comes and you're not there...?_

"I understand..." Lucina drew closer to give him a soft peck on the lips before continuing, "You... don't have to fear the dark. It's just us here... you're not alone. And remember, you trained me so well. If anything should happen, I'll make sure to protect both of us. I know you'd do the same..."

"...O-of course..." Falcon still seemed a bit unsure, but Lucina picked up on this and caressed his face again.

"The darkness... isn't inherently bad. I guess I was used to it in my world, where the light of day stopped shining after a certain point, but even though much of the darkness was terrifying, there were some peaceful moments... the tranquility of the secluded bases my comrades made... I found tranquility, even in the dark. Because I knew I was safe... and I'll be that gentle darkness for you, when the light gets too overwhelming..." She touched her forehead to his affectionately.

"Wow, Lucina, didn't know you could wax poetic so well too," The Captain teased her, prompting her to puff her cheeks slightly as she grumbled. "But thanks. I think I feel a bit better..."

"I'm glad..." Slowly closing her eyes as she drifted off to sleep, she murmured softly, "Good night, babe..."

"Good night, sweetheart..."

...

_Captain Falcon opened his eyes again and saw himself standing in a field of iridescent light._

_"What?!"_

_**You seem... really attached to this woman. Is she not Dharkon's back up emissary?**_

_"Galeem?!" Falcon shouted. "How are you..." Pausing for a moment, he realized, "That's right... this already happened... why? Why can't I move on?"_

_**Even though you've ruined my plans time and again... I have this strange feeling of compassion toward you... I only want the best for you...**_

_"You're just... a memory, Galeem," Captain Falcon declared. "You're gone. You can't hurt me, or Lucina, or anyone else anymore..."_

_He found himself back in his bedroom, where it was still night, but Lucina was nowhere to be found._

_"Lucina?!... Oh God, no... what did you do, Galeem?!"_

**_See, Captain? Such filthiness is why light is necessary... to purge it..._**

_"No..." He covered his eyes with his hands in fear. "This can't... be happening..."_

"_Babe...?_"

_"Why..."_

"...Babe!"

"Ah?!" Falcon opened his eyes, for real this time. It was morning. Light shone through the windows, and sure enough, Lucina was still there, snuggling up to him in an attempt to comfort him.

"Another nightmare?" She asked him.

"I..." He hugged her tightly. "It's funny, my subconscious was I guess... playing tricks on me when I went back to sleep... making me think that you talking to me in the middle of the night _was_ a dream too..." Even then, he was still hesitant to tell her truth that it was the memories of Galeem that were troubling his subconscious.

"Aren't you glad it was just that? A dream?" She consoled him. "I told you you'd be safe as long as I'm around... I learned from the best, after all."

"Of course..." This time, he gave her a soft peck on the lips.

_She's right. Sometimes darkness isn't a bad thing. It can be as safe and peaceful as a tranquil night... and she is the darkness to my light. She and I have truly found balance with each other._

"Shall we get ready?" Lucina asked the Captain, backing away from his embrace.

"In a bit. You go on ahead."

As Lucina got up and got dressed, the Captain thought, _Even so... I should still ensure that we never get separated again... that I don't lose her again. I... think I might have an idea... _

**_Fin_**

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**So if you've read the epilogue, I'm sure you already know what that "idea" was...**

**I want to say I am considering revamping the fic this is connected to, at least splitting it up so the chapters aren't so long and I'd maybe get more reviews... idk if it'll make much difference as 1. the fic this is connected to is rated M, and 2. Falconcina isn't exactly a popular ship.**


	3. Stale Cupcakes

**oh look a surprise addition to the collection**

**this is set before a new Smash oneshot I plan on writing... if you saw the latest trailer you may know where I'm going with this. Also there will be FEELS. it's also kind of a vent fic for how I've been feeling during this... overall situation. Quarantine, all that stuff.**

**Some of the plot elements here (moving in together, adopting Young Link) I do plan to incorporate into the eventual sequel to ****_Hiding in my Skin, Broken from Within. _****I just, you know... haven't planned it out sufficiently yet.**

**I'm also aware of the irony of the title when there's no cupcakes involved. It was actually based on the Animal Crossing song of the same name. (Listen to the aircheck version as you read this for MORE FEELS)**

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**_Stale Cupcakes_**

_So... it's the beginning of a new era for me at Smash City. After my long-time trainer, Captain Falcon, proposed to me and became my __fiancé, everyone has been so happy for us. Even my own father and younger brother, despite the latter being a bit hard to win over at first. And now, we're moving in together. It's a fortunate coincidence that Snake, the Captain's former roommate, is moving out to move in with his own girlfriend, Samus, who up until now has had her place to herself. I do feel a little sad about leaving Zelda's place, but at least her new roommate, Corrin, is someone she gets along well with...  
_

"So, sweetheart," Captain Falcon told his fiancée as he stood before the door leading to the hallway, affectionately grasping her hand. "I'll be gone for a few days, even though over there, it'll only be a day. Try not to get too lonely without me, alright?"

"Over there...?" Lucina questioned.

"You know Spring Man?" Falcon continued. "He's an Assist here in Smash City, but he put in a request with Master Hand for someone else from his world to officially join us. Kirby and I are headed over to scout out our options."

"I see..." Drawing in closer for a hug, she softly whispered, "Good luck, dear."

"Thanks." Breaking the hug, he continued, "I won't be bringing my phone, but I'll teach you how to use mine if you want to give your friends a call. You can even use my computer if you want, I've set up a user account for you. I'm sure you can handle everything else yourself."

"Of course," Lucina nodded with a smile. "But don't take too long, we've still got some setting up to do!" She giggled, playfully booping his nose with her finger.

"How could I forget?" The Captain chuckled, drawing closer to his fiancée for a quick kiss. "I'll be sure to bring you a souvenir or two!"

"That'd be wonderful. Take care, babe."

...

_And yet... it leaves me with a bittersweet feeling._

It had been only a day since her fiancé and Kirby had briefly left Smash City to look for the new fighter, but Lucina couldn't help but feel a sense of emptiness hanging over her. Waking up to a bed with only her in it was lonely enough, and she did manage to distract herself for a while by playing a simulation game on her fiancé's computer. It was a life sim where her character got to vicariously live out the life of her dreams - that the in game world would allow - such as seeing the world and settling down with a lover and having a family, but it simply wasn't a substitute.

_I should probably get some fresh air..._

As she walked to the door to the hallway, she passed Snake's former room, which was now empty. She had told Captain Falcon she was thinking of converting it into a kid's room, as she thought of the two perhaps adopting Young Link, since he was like a son to the Captain already. Perhaps even splitting it into smaller rooms if they decided to adopt more of the younger Smashers... or even if they had a child of their own.

Looking on for a moment wistfully, she sighed before heading out.

...

The day, while peaceful, was largely uneventful. She briefly stopped by the training facility, thinking letting off some steam in battle was what she needed. Unfortunately...

_What's the point? I feel like... if he's not there to watch... it'll be meaningless. Why do I feel this way...? I shouldn't..._

She ultimately ended up watching some of the other Smashers spar before heading out. On the way to the exit, she saw Zelda talking with Pit, Rosalina, and Shulk. Lucina wanted to say hello, but hesitated. Not only did Zelda not seem to notice her, but she felt a sense of awkwardness and shyness weigh heavy on her.

_I... remember the day I left Zelda's old place. She seemed very sad, and... I don't know why, but it doesn't feel right to resume talking like we always do... I'm sure she's made a new friend in Corrin._

She quietly walked away, heading for the Smash City bookstore run by Professor Wright. After walking through some of the aisles, she stumbled upon the self-help and advice section. She saw a few books that caught her eye, like advice for couples moving in together, raising children, and other such topics that were relevant to this new phase in her life.

_It's funny. I never thought I'd be going through these huge changes in my life..._

She spent several minutes reading each one, learning whatever she could.

_It may seem overwhelming, but I guess I should prepare myself the best I can. _Closing the last of the books she decided to leaf through, she thought, _I kind of... miss the old library Zelda and I used to have..._

"_You know, Lucy, if there's anything you want to talk to me about..._"

"Ah..." Lucina murmured, recalling some memories of Zelda while they were still roommates.

"_I'm still your Zelda, Lucy._"

"_That's...all I wanted to hear, Lucy._"

"Zelda..." Sighing, Lucina put the book she just closed away and scanned the bookshelf for any books about rekindling friendships or keeping in touch, but couldn't find any.

"Figures..." Noticing the sun setting outside the windows, she murmured, "I should probably get some dinner."

She decided to stop by the food court, getting in line for an establishment specializing in chicken dishes that she was in the mood for. While in line, she heard Sheik's voice calling out to her.

"Hey! Luce!"

"...Sheik?"

Joining the line before her, Sheik asked, "How's it going?"

"Well..." Looking to the side briefly with a timid expression, she confessed, "It could be better."

"Why do you say that?"

"You know how... Captain Falcon and I are engaged, right? I moved in with him not long ago, but now that he's away seeking out the next new addition to Smash City... it's been a bit lonely without him, so I decided to try to distract myself by spending some time here in the city, but... why don't we discuss it over our meal?"

"Sounds great!"

After Sheik ordered a chicken sandwich and fries and Lucina a popcorn chicken dish with dipping sauces, the two found a table and began to eat, before Sheik asked, "So, what's up?"

"So... when I moved in with the Captain, I ended up leaving Zelda's place. I know how weird this must sound, seeing as how you're Zelda from our current Link's world..."

"Hey, it's okay," Sheik reassured her. "I'm Zelda, yes, but I'm not _that _Zelda. It's not like I know what she's thinking at any given time or anything, so go on, lay it on me."

"Heehee," Lucina giggled. "Anyway, Zelda and I have been roommates all these years... and yet, I feel bad about leaving. Even though I was away that long time, we were really close friends."

"Who says you still aren't?" Sheik questioned after taking a bite of her sandwich.

"The thing is..." Lucina confessed with a regretful expression after taking a sip of her drink. "In the past, when I said goodbye to people, it was final. I wouldn't see them again. I know it's not the case here, but I feel like... I treat it as such cause it's ingrained in me, and I don't know how to stop thinking that way... I sometimes think she's happier with Corrin, anyway."

"You don't know that for sure," Sheik advised Lucina. "I'm sure Zelda misses you too, and you can totally catch up after all this time, especially now that you're engaged. I'm sure she'd appreciate it."

"You think so...?" Lucina held her left hand to her chin in thought.

"Just because Corrin's her roommate now, doesn't mean she's replaced you in Zelda's life or anything. I say go for it!"

"Hey, girls!" A surprising voice called out to them.

"Whoa... Spring Man?!" Sheik exclaimed, surprised.

"Why so surprised?" Spring Man chuckled. "Even as an Assist, I'm allowed to stroll around Smash City, aren't I?"

"It's perfectly fine," Lucina told him. "Come on, take a seat."

Sitting next to Sheik, Spring Man began to eat his pizza slice.

"Excuse me... Spring Man?"

"Hmm?" Swallowing his mouthful, Spring Man asked, "Yeah?"

"My fiancé, Captain Falcon, went off to your world to scout out someone for Smash City's next fighter. I've been wondering, what's it like in your world?"

"Glad you asked," Spring Man replied with a grin. "In my world, most people suddenly gain the ability to use extendable arms. We call that, ARMS. All uppercase. Some people use it for heroics, for performances, but its main appeal is the ARMS League. We've basically made it into a sport, boxing with extendable arms."

"Sounds interesting," Lucina commented, her eyes sparkling with wonder. "Who do you think my fiancé and Kirby will pick?"

"Well, my time has come and gone, obviously... otherwise I wouldn't be an Assist," Spring Man briefly moped before returning to his chipper demeanor. "But if I had to vouch for someone, it'd be Min Min. They call her the Ramen Bomber, and she's just as skilled a chef as she is a fighter."

"Hmm..."

The three continued talking as they ate dinner before heading to their respective homes.

...

_That was nice, _Lucina thought. Approaching the door to hers and the Captain's shared apartment, she took out the keys to unlock the door. _I think if I can keep this up, I should be able to not feel too lonely until he gets back home._

When she unlocked the door, the reality of the situation greeted her once again.

_...Of course, the end of the day is the hardest part... coming home to an empty place. I have the freedom of my own place, sure... but right now, it's still too lonely._ _He'll probably be gone for another day or two in Smash City's time..._

She went in for a shower. A nice, warm shower... that was no substitute for the warmth of his embrace. It was only a temporary relief, as after she brushed her teeth and dressed in her pajamas, the bed she slept in was as empty as it was earlier in the day.

_It's hard... this is the first time I've been truly alone. I don't think I can sleep like this... _Eyeing the Captain's phone on the nearby dresser, she unplugged it from the charging cable and took it.

_Fiora... you'd know what to say to help me during this time._

"Let's see if I remember how to use this..." Recalling what the Captain told her, she unlocked the phone by pressing the button at the bottom, inputting the code, which was 0714, and tapping the Phone app to make a call.

"Let me see if she's there..." Scrolling through the contacts, she couldn't find Fiora, but did find her roommate: Elma. Clicking the contact, she dialed the number associated with the contact. After a few rings, Elma picked up.

"Captain Falcon?" Elma asked over the phone. "I thought you were still in Spring Man's world-"

"Elma, it's Lucina," Lucina said. "Is Fiora there? I can't sleep and I'd like to talk with her to try to get some worries off my mind..."

"It's pretty late, but let me see..." After a few moments, Fiora's voice could be heard on the other end of the line.

"Lucina! How are you holding up?"

"...Not too well, Fiora," Lucina admitted. "As you know, Falcon's out scouting out a new fighter. "I guess I just... want to talk. Adapting to changes like this is a bit difficult for me."

"Even though you went through what you did in your home world?" Fiora questioned before sympathizing, "It's okay, though. I get it. It's something positive in your life for once, but it comes with certain... sacrifices. It's totally normal to take a while to get used to it. My experiences have been... similar."

"I understand," Lucina said. "...Fiora? I have...a favor to ask."

"Yeah?"

"Tomorrow morning, could... you tell Zelda I'd like to meet up with her again? She's been a friend in Smash City for so long, but..." She proceeded to explain the situation to Fiora.

"Got it," Fiora confirmed. "Why don't you just relax? Just take one day at a time. He'll be home before you know it."

"Of course... thanks, Fiora."

"Anytime. Good night, Lucina... and take care of yourself, ok?"

"Night, Fiora. I will." After hanging up, Lucina put the phone down, turned off the lamp and snuggled up in the sheets.

_Thank you, Fiora... I'm thankful for everyone I met here. I hope that, even though an amazing change is happening in my life, that I can still maintain this sense of normalcy..._

...

The next day, Lucina decided to stop by the cafe for some breakfast. As she sipped her coffee, a familiar voice greeted her.

"Lucina...?"

"Mmmf-" Lucina swallowed her coffee, trying not to spit from being startled. "Z-Zelda?!"

"Fiora told me to meet up with you," Zelda said with a smile, pulling up a seat. "You know, you don't have to shell up or think moving out from my place was the end of our friendship. I'm still your Zelda, aren't I?"

"Yes..." Lucina whispered, wiping the happy tears from her eyes. "I know it's a little difficult to keep in touch, but don't be afraid to reach out every once in a while."

"Of course, Lucy!" Zelda cheered her friend up. "And you're engaged! How could I not be happy for you?"

"Thanks, Zelda," Lucina thanked her long time friend with a heartfelt smile. "Why don't we have a day out on the town for old time's sake?"

"Sounds wonderful," Zelda nodded. "Where to first?"

"Let's maybe do a bit of window shopping first."

"Sounds great!"

The two began walking around the business district of Smash City, looking through various shops such as clothing and houseware, although none of them bought anything. However, the two passed a wedding dress emporium, with Lucina looking at the dress showcased in the window.

"Pretty..." she murmured. "Can't believe I'll be wearing one of those soon..."

"Oh, you looking at dresses already, Lucy?" Zelda questioned.

"Yes," Lucina affirmed. "This one in particular looks really pretty... though I imagine it would be pretty hard to run in it."

"Heehee, yeah," Zelda agreed. "You know, some women, when they get married... they have their father walk them down the aisle to give to their spouse."

"Really...?" Lucina murmured. "I wasn't aware of such a tradition..."

_To think that... my father will finally be able to witness this joyous time in my life... my mother and brother, too... I hope that... I'll still have them in my life too, years from now.  
_

"Earth to Lucy?" Zelda tried to snap her friend out of her trance.

"Oh!" Lucina murmured. "Sorry... It's just... thinking about the big day and all."

"No worries," Zelda reassured her. She spotted a poster out of the corner of her eye. "Oh! Lucy! Off the Hook is dropping their new single! Let's head to the music store!"

"Sure!" Lucina agreed. _I guess music could help me take my mind off things... to get lost in the melody..._

The two friends headed down the block to the music store ran by the Squid Sisters, Callie and Marie.

"Heeeey!" Callie greeted the two friends from behind the counter as they walked in. "Have a look around, you two!"

"Thanks, Callie," Zelda said as she led Lucina to an aisle of CDs with a small listening station around the middle. As they perused the section, Pearl and Marina, or as they were known as back in Inkopolis, Off the Hook, walked through the door.

"Callie, look!" Marie whispered to her cousin, pointing in the direction of the musical duo. "Is that...?"

"Ayo, Squid Sisters! How's it hangin'?" Pearl greeted them in her usual laid-back way. The duo wore different clothes this time than their usual outfits, with Marina wearing a white tank top, jade jeans, flat white sneakers and a white bandana around her head, while Pearl wore a yellow and pink hoodie with the hood pulled up, white shorts, iridescent pump sneakers, and a gold jeweled crown atop her head, presumably to go with her rap moniker, "MC Princess".

"Hey, Pearl," Marie greeted the pint-size rapper calmly.

"Marina!" Callie jovially greeted the Octoling DJ.

"So, Marie," Pearl began with a slight sassy tone, "You and Agent 4 free Callie from DJ Octavio's brainwashing and bring the Great Zapfish back to Inkopolis... only for the two of you to work at a _music store?_" Pearl smirked with a mischevious glint in her eye.

"H-hey!" Callie stammered.

"No, it's quite alright," Marie dissuaded Callie. "We both need a bit of a break before we can make our comeback. In the meantime, Smash City gave us a great opportunity to broaden our horizons, even if we're only Assists."

"What about Agent 4?" Marina questioned.

"Gramps is taking care of 'em," Callie reassured Off the Hook. "I take it you guys are here to see Agent 8?"

"Yeah, both of them!" Pearl laughed. "But really, we're super stoked for 'em to have made it as Smashers!"

"We're here to promote our new single too!" Marina added.

As the four pop stars continued their conversation, Zelda beckoned Lucina over to the listening station. "Hey, Lucy! Here's Off the Hook's new single!"

"Oh?" Lucina questioned. "I'd like to listen."

Handing Lucina a pair of headphones, Zelda put on another set. The two plugged them in to the listening station and chose the song at the top - Off the Hook's _Shark Bytes_.

"Oooh!" Zelda chimed, subtly bopping along to the music. "I like this!"

"It sounds nice, yeah..." Lucina agreed. As she enjoyed the song, she pondered, _I wonder how **he** listens to music... if he doesn't take his helmet off, does it have a way for him to listen still? We're about to tie the knot, to prepare to live the rest of our lives together... and there's some things I still don't know about him... _Sighing, she briefly took the headphones off. _I miss him... I was hoping to distract myself from that fact, but..._

"...Lucina?" Zelda questioned, taking off her headphones.

"Ah..." Lucina murmured. "It's nothing. I think I want to listen to something else."

"No problem," Zelda replied, putting the headphones down. "I think I'll look around some more."

"Okay." Putting the headphones back on, Lucina decided to listen to another song - _Stale Cupcakes_ by K.K. Slider. The song sounded like a soft lullaby, with a slight tone of loneliness.

_This song... _Lucina pondered. _It reminds me of simpler, more peaceful times. Times filled with an innocent joy... times... that might never come again. _Her vision began to blur as tears filled her eyes.

Chaos was the norm in many of the relationships she had throughout her life. Forget a few days; mere seconds was all it took. Someone she was close to could be there one moment, and gone the next, and she wasn't sure if she'd ever see them again - oftentimes she never did. It's why she was used to saying goodbye for good when someone left, to lessen the pain.

Even now though, with happier things on the horizon, she might have to say goodbye again, not just to people, but to opportunities. Living apart from her family and friends to be with her future husband was taking a toll on her emotional state, but what if, one day, any of them had to leave?

"...Lucina?" Zelda slowly walked over to her friend, placing a hand on her shoulder. Startled, Lucina wiped her tears away and took off the headphones. "What's the matter?"

"I..." Sighing, Lucina admitted, "This song got me a bit sentimental... that's all."

"_Try not to get too lonely without me, alright?_" Her fiancé's words before he departed for Spring Man's world echoed in her head.

_I can't help but get lonely... I need you at a time like this, to guide me... _She shook her head. _No. I should at least try to manage and hold out a while longer..._

"Why don't... we head to the arcade?" Lucina suggested. "I can't remember the last time we played a game together..."

"Sounds wonderful!" Zelda chimed.

"Though... a song getting me sentimental isn't a bad thing. It's... a reminder to always remember to feel, cause otherwise... you'll lose sight of what's important."

"Hmm...?" Zelda was intrigued by Lucina's musing. "What do you mean?"

"N-nothing," Lucina stammered. "I'll take one copy of _Stale Cupcakes_. It's a really nice song."

"I'll take _Shark Bytes_!" Zelda announced.

"Oh!" Marina turned to the two girls heading over to buy the CDs. "Glad to see you like our new single, Zelda!"

"Eyyyy, K.K.'s stuff SLAPS," Pearl told Lucina. "He's a master of pretty much every genre - I'm a bit jealous!"

"Really...?" Lucina pondered. "I'll have to check his other songs out sometime."

"Alright, ladies," Marie spoke up. "Bring them here and I'll ring you up."

"Thanks!"

After the two girls put their respective CDs in their bags, they waved goodbye at the two pairs of performers. "See you guys around!"

"Have a nice day!" Callie cheerfully told them. "And..." She and Marie struck their signature pose as they cried, "Stay Freeeeesh~!"

"Maybe we'll perform here in Smash City sometime!" Marina commented before she and Pearl said in perfect sync, "Don't get cooked! Stay off the hook!"

...

Once Zelda and Lucina arrived at the arcade, the two looked around before Zelda asked her friend, "So what do you wanna play?"

"Hmmm..." Lucina pondered before eyeing the large puzzle game machine. It was a cutesy fairy-themed game that involved swapping tiles to match a pattern. "How about that one?"

"_Panel de Pon_?" Zelda questioned. "Lip's the star of that game! She even has her own show, I can't recommend it enough!"

"Is that so?" Lucina's curiosity was piqued. "You'll have to tell me more as we play."

After Zelda put in enough coins for two players, the character select screen showed up. Zelda asked her friend, "So, who are you going with? I call dibs on Lip!"

"I..." Looking through her options, Lucina chose the blue-haired fairy.

"Elias?" Zelda questioned. "I can see why she resonates with you - you two are very romantic dreamers. Everyone's character is explored in Lip's show, _Little Fairy Academia_! It's really cute!"

"Oh?"

"Yeah!" Zelda said. "In the show, Lip, whose fairy powers are a bit weaker than most others', goes to a special fairy academy to hone her fairy powers and find out what's most important to her. It's a nice, feel-good cartoon!"

"Sounds nice. Maybe I'll watch it in full sometime."

As the two played their first round of the fast-paced puzzle game, Zelda asked her friend, "So, you looking forward to the tournament starting again soon?"

"Of course," Lucina confirmed. "I hope to show the fruits of my training there... and spar with all the new faces joining Smash City." Looking to the side with an uncertain look, she murmured, "I hope another incident like _that_ doesn't happen..."

"I'm sure it won't," Zelda consoled her before teasing, "Oh, looks like I'm gonna beat you~"

Hearing the sound of a large block crash in on Lucina's side of the game and impede her progress, she gasped, "Wha-?!" Shifting her attention to the game, she boasted, "You're not getting away with this!"

"Hoho, looks like I've awakened your competitive spirit!"

Eventually the round was completed, with Zelda winning. "I win!" Zelda cheered. "This was fun!"

"It really was..." Lucina shook her friend's hand to congratulate her. "It was nice... having these little moments with you and everyone else outside of battle." Sighing, she looked down and fretted, "I just hope... it can stay that way..."

"I'm sure it will!" Zelda said to lift Lucina's spirits. "And even if any one of us has to go next time, I'm sure we'll come back again eventually. I mean, Snake and Pichu came back!"

"You're right..." Lucina nodded. "It's like the Captain once said, it's not really a goodbye, it's more like a 'see you later'."

"That's the spirit!" Noticing Corrin walking through the doors, Zelda waved to Corrin and called out, "Hi, Corrin!"

Waving back as she walked to the others, Corrin looked at Lucina and greeted her, "Hey, Lucina. Great to see you here!"

"Same here, Corrin," Lucina replied with a smile.

"Heard you're getting married in the future. So happy for you!"

"Thank you," Lucina thanked Corrin.

"Want to play a game with me and Lucina, Corrin?" Zelda offered her new roommate.

"Oh, you guys can play by yourselves," Lucina dissuaded Zelda. "I think that's enough stimulation for me for now... I kinda want to just unwind."

"Sounds fair," Zelda conceded. "See you later, Lucy! Take care!"

"I hope we can talk more!" Corrin volunteered as she waved goodbye. "I'd like to get to know you more!"

"Sure thing."

...

"I guess a walk would do me some good..." Lucina murmured as she walked through the Smash City park. The stroll was certainly calming, as she walked along the path listening to the sounds of the local wildlife, observing the natural beauty around her as the wind blew softly through her hair. Seeing all the trees around her, and the fish in the crystal clear lake below the bridge... all of it seemed to clear her mind.

That is, until she saw an unused wedding arch with seating in the distance.

_Hmm, that could be where we have our wedding... _Lucina pondered, looking on with a dreamy expression on her face. _We'd invite each of our respective friends... I'd invite my family too...  
_

Closing her eyes, she imagined the day they'd exchange vows. She imagined her family, Zelda, Corrin, Shulk, Fiora, Young Link, Samus, Snake, and Elma in the chairs; her wearing the wedding dress she saw earlier; the Captain clad in a fine tuxedo, his handsome face visible; the two saying "I do" before becoming officiated as husband and wife and passionately kissing each other, starting a new chapter of their lives together...

_I... I know that... the Captain had a relationship before me. I've been a great training partner and lover to him... but will I be a good **wife?** _She quickly shook her head. _Why am I thinking that now...? Why am I second guessing myself?_

Lucina looked down as she sat on the nearby bench and sighed. "It's times like this I have time to actually think about my situation... sometimes it's overwhelming. Being without him makes this all the more difficult..."

"Chuu!"

"Huh?!"

Lucina looked around, looking for the source of the adorable feminine voice.

"Wemmy!"

Looking down at the seat next to her, she saw an adorable octopus whose body looked to be made entirely of ink. It had a round head; huge, curious eyes; two tiny tentacles below its eyes that somewhat resembled a curly mustache; and two thick, curly tentacles on the sides of its body.

"Oh! Hello there, cutie!" Lucina cooed, motioning for the octopus to come over so she could cuddle it. Noticing the ink it was made of which somehow didn't stain her clothes, she commented, "Wait, aren't you... an Octoling?"

The octopus changed shape into a humanoid female who looked similar to an Inkling, but her eyes were larger, the "suckers" on her hair were on the outside as opposed to the inside, and her hair looked more like an octopus than a squid. The Octoling Girl gave Lucina a huge, friendly hug.

"Hwappy!"

"You wanted to keep me company?" Lucina gave the Octoling Girl a pat on the head as she complimented the cephalopod girl, "How sweet of you."

"Mee!" The Octoling Girl smiled innocently as she released Lucina from the hug and sat next to her.

"So... you must be pretty new to Smash City," Lucina began. "Do you... like it here?"

"Bwee!" The Octoling Girl affirmed cheerfully.

"Hehe... I'm glad," Lucina murmured before looking ahead with a somewhat pensive expression on her face.

"Oonah?"

"Hmm?" Lucina turned her attention to the adorable cephalopod girl who looked at the Ylissean with a curious look in her eyes.

"Ekwondyoo?" The Octoling Girl innocently questioned.

"What's wrong, you ask?" Lucina responded. "Well... to put it simply... my life is changing for the better... maybe at a pace faster than what I'm used to. I guess I just have difficulty adjusting."

"Buuuuu..." The Octoling Girl mumbled as she racked her brain for a way to cheer her up. Just then, an idea came to her as her eyes lit up and she declared, "Oonay." Reverting to her octopus form, she launched off into the distance shouting "Yahoooooooo~!"

"'Be right back'? Where could she be..."

Before Lucina could finish that sentence, she heard an "Oooooo-wheeeeeeeee~" that gradually got louder until the Octoling Girl landed in front on her, reverting back to her humanoid form and holding two small cartons of a strange but appetizing looking baked food. Handing one carton to the swordwoman, the cephalopod girl said "Hey!"

"Oh! You got a snack from Chef Kawasaki's food stand?" Lucina took the small carton. "What's it called?"

"Veemo!"

"'Takoyaki'?" The blue haired woman questioned. "And that I should be careful when eating as it's hot? Understood..." The Octoling Girl took a seat next to Lucina as the two took a bite into the cornmeal balls carefully.

"Mmmm, tasty," Lucina commented before noticing a peculiar texture. Looking at what she bit into, she noticed a small octopus tentacle inside the batter. "O-octopus?! But... aren't you...?"

"Amiya!" The Octoling Girl shook her head with a calm smile before following up with "Yulaleee!"

"...Your kind eats actual octopus all the time?" Lucina questioned. "I guess it makes sense, since you've evolved to a point that you could be considered distant from your octopus ancestors..."

"Hwih!" The Octoling Girl nodded before explaining more about Octarian culture and the things she'd experienced as Lucina finished her takoyaki.

"...Wow," Lucina murmured. "A war between your kind and the Inklings, and only now you've attained peace? And your kind is very adept in machinery too... it's always interesting to learn about a fellow Smasher's world. I'm glad to have you here."

_Good at machinery...? Something tells me she'd get along with **him** well. I wonder if he'd be open to taking her in as our daughter, too..._

"AYO! Eight!" Pearl called to the Octoling Girl from afar, with Marina following up with, "We wanted to stop by to congratulate you!"

Turning to her friends, the Octoling Girl waved to them as she called out, "Onyouuuuuu~!" Turning back to Lucina, she waved goodbye as she said, "Wimibyebye!" before running off to Off the Hook.

"See you later..." Lucina waved with a smile.

"Hey! Lucina!" Fiora called to her friend from afar.

"Hello, Fiora," Lucina greeted the cyborg, standing up.

"You were just talking to the Octoling Girl, I see," Fiora commented. "She's so adorable!"

"She is," Lucina giggled. "You know, I wonder if she's ever had anything resembling a... family."

"Where's this sudden talk of family coming from?" Fiora pondered.

"I... guess I'm thinking that, once I'm married, having a family could be an option..." Lucina shook her head. "Maybe I'm thinking too far ahead."

"Yeah, one step at a time," Fiora advised her. "The big day's quite a long way away too, I'd imagine."

"Yeah," Lucina nodded. "I don't think he'll have settled on a date just yet." Noticing the sun setting, she commented, "It's getting late. Want to help me pick out some food for dinner?"

"Sure!" Fiora agreed. "If you need any help with cooking, I can stay over..."

"I'll be fine," Lucina said. "I had to cook for myself and others a lot in the world I came from..."

"If you say so," Fiora replied. "Well, shall we?"

...

It was almost completely dark when Lucina and Fiora left the grocery store. The two took a taxi back to Smash Tower, with Lucina telling her friend "See you later" when the elevator arrived at the floor of the apartment she and Captain Falcon lived at. Unlocking the door, she set the bags of groceries on the table, took the ingredients out of the bag, and got the cooking ware ready.

"So, beef and broccoli stir fry. Shouldn't be too hard if I follow the recipe."

Using the cookbook she pulled out of a nearby drawer as reference, she followed the recipe, making sure not to burn anything, and served herself her portion. The actual recipe said it served two people, so she reduced the number of ingredients to make one serving. Grabbing a drink of white grape juice from the fridge, she sat down and began to dig in.

"Tasty..." She murmured. "I know he's always complimented my cooking... sometimes we'd cook together too. I wonder what cooking for a family would be like..."

Looking up from her dish, the empty room added to the lonely atmosphere. "I guess it's just... really lonely eating alone like this, in a home for more than one person. I guess I can understand how Zelda felt all this time coming home to an empty apartment while _I_ was away..." Shaking her said, she mumbled, "Hopefully I won't be waiting much longer for him to come home," before finishing her dish, washing the dishes and showering. Dressing into her pajamas, she went back to the living room to grab the _Stale Cupcakes _CD from her purse and took it to the master bedroom.

"Maybe... if I fall asleep to music..."

She put the CD into the stereo, hit play, and let the lullaby-like melody fill the room as she climbed once more into an empty bed.

"Maybe I'll dream of a hopeful future..."

...

_Lucina found herself lying on a luxurious bed with silken sheets, in a rather futuristic looking room, the windows overlooking a high tech cityscape glowing in neon lights of various colors. She assumed it must be Mute City. It was dusk, and aside from the neon lights outside, the room inside was illuminated by several candles on a table a short distance away, no doubt to set the mood. Silently examining herself, she saw she was wearing a short, purple nightgown._

_A maternity nightgown. She was pregnant - 7 months at the least, judging by how big her breasts and abdomen became. She was actually amazed at the fact her breasts weren't so small anymore, and she found her thoughts drifting to nursing the little one after he or she was born, cuddling her baby close to her..._

_That is, until she felt a bare muscular arm wrap around her bump of a belly and pull her closer to... him._

_Her husband, Douglas. She turned her face slowly to see him smile at her. She smiled back briefly before looking ahead and grumbling, "It's kinda not fair... look at me, babe. I look like a big round blob, and you've still... got it. That's how the saying goes, right?"_

_"Don't be silly, sweetheart," he affectionately murmured, rubbing her distended stomach. Lucina couldn't explain why, but it felt really nice when he rubbed her pregnant abdomen so gently, as she snuggled closer to him and softly mewled. "You couldn't be more beautiful at a time like this... carrying our child."_

_"Of course," Lucina giggled._

**_So... I'm expecting his child,_**_ she thought. **Should I tell my friends, my father, my... **It was then she realized. **...Right. This is when... if... we both leave Smash City and start a life in the Captain's world. We... probably don't have contact with the others anymore...**_

_Noticing his wife deep in thought, Falcon broke the ice with, "Hey, if it's a boy, why don't we name him Kent?"_

_"...Kent?" Lucina snapped out of her deep thoughts. "What makes you choose that?"_

_"I... don't know really," the Captain chuckled, softly scratching his left cheek with his free hand. "It just really resonates with me, y'know?"_

_"Heehee..." Lucina giggled. "Well, I get to choose if it's a girl, right?"_

_"Be my guest." Douglas gave his wife a tender kiss on the neck, prompting a chuckle from her lips._

_"Well...how about... Cynthia?"  
_

_"That's a cute name," Falcon complimented her. "Why Cynthia though?"_

_"Cynthia's also... a friend from the future I came from... I hope they're all doing alright..." As she spoke, the scene before her blurred and faded into white._

...

"Eh?!" Lucina awoke to find herself still in the present day, still in the apartment she shared with her fiancé. And once again, she was the only one in the bed. The stereo had stopped playing the song from last night.

_I had hoped he would have made it last night and I'd wake up to him... _Looking out the window, she pondered, _That dream... it felt real. _

As she got up to turn off the stereo and brush her teeth, she thought, _I wanted to name my future daughter Cynthia... Even though I'm pursuing this happy future with my beloved, I'd be further disconnected from the friends I knew from the doomed future... and Morgan too. All the experiences I've had and people I met along the way... They're just as important to me as **he** is. I don't want all that to become a memory either... to leave it all behind._

Changing into her regular clothes, she began to walk to the door before hesitating. _I don't know what else to do out on the city today. I think I'll probably just have a lazy day and binge watch something...  
_

Sitting down, she turned on the television, navigated to the "on demand" section, and found the show starring Lip that Zelda spoke about the other day - _Little Fairy Academia. _The show had a nice, campy but cutesy premise - Lip, the protagonist who saw the magic show of another great fairy years prior, sought out to attend an elite academy for fairies, despite the fact her powers were slightly weaker than most other fairies. The episodes consisted of whimsical, wacky adventures that put a smile on Lucina's face, with some heartwarming moments in between. One such episode had a long lost family reunion, and Lucina couldn't help but feel it hit a bit too close to home.

"I... think I'll resume watching this later..." Noticing the sun was starting to set, she realized how engrossed she had gotten. Taking a quick shower, she dressed into a different set of pajamas and got back to the tv, deciding to binge watch a nature documentary series instead.

_Time flies... but he's still not home yet. I hope he'll be home soon..._

Before she knew it, she fell asleep on the couch, watching the documentary episode on ocean life.

...

"...Lucina?"

Lucina thought she heard _his _voice as she felt herself being gently nudged awake. "Just a few more minutes..."

"Sweetheart, it's me."

It was then she realized - that had to be him. He was finally home... right?

She opened her eyes, and saw that her hopes were confirmed. Her bethrothed, Captain Falcon, had returned after three days away from Smash City. Her eyes began to well up with tears as she slowly sat up.

"Luci-" The Captain began before Lucina hugged him tightly and began to sob into his chest. She savored the feeling of holding him in her arms, his warmth, the texture of his toned muscular body. And his familiar scent... which was mixed with the scent of... soup?

"I've missed you, my love... so much..."

Tenderly hugging her, he told her, "I may have been gone only a day in the other world's time... but I've missed you too. More than you could imagine." He tenderly kissed her on the lips before noticing the light of the television illuminating the darkened room. It was night, and the blinds were wide open. "It's pretty late, though. Good thing I brought us some dinner."

"Oh?" Lucina murmured, wiping away her tears. "Yeah... let's catch up more over dinner."

"Oh," The Captain commented, noticing the television. "You were watching a documentary? It's almost over... you slept through much of it."

"Oh noooo!" Lucina gasped.

"No worries," the Captain reassured her. "We'll rewatch it together after dinner."

As they sat at the table after turning on the lights, Falcon brought out two plastic bowls with plastic lids out of a bag. He removed the lids, causing a pleasant aroma to fill the room. It was a noodle soup with a somewhat cloudy gray broth, shrimp, and various vegetables in it. "This is some tonkotsu ramen from Min Min's ramen shop. She's... our newest fighter, actually. She'll be joining us in a few days."

"Really?" Lucina murmured. "Spring Man told me about her. I look forward to meeting her..." Eyeing the chopsticks next to her bowl, she questioned, "How do I...?"

"Let me show you." Standing up briefly, her fiancé took the chopsticks out of the wrapper, split them, and placed them on the napkin next to the bowl. Sitting back down, he then placed them in his hands, showing her how, and she tried to replicate it. It took her a couple of tries, but she finally got it.

"And you take it like this..."

"I see..."

The two ate their ramen in peace, with the Captain asking his fiancée, "Do you like it?"

"It's great, I love it," Lucina said. "You said... Min Min made this?"

"Yeah," he replied, reaching into his pocket. "Her family runs a ramen shop. I even offered to fill in as a waiter while she got the Smash invite. Here's a photo of me, her and Kirby." He passed her a photo of Min Min and Kirby whaling on bowls of ramen, with Falcon standing a distance off in the background holding some plates, dressed in a uniform similar to Min Min's, and smiling.

"That outfit looks real charming on you, babe," Lucina giggled.

"You think so?" Falcon chuckled. "Y'know, maybe you'll be selected to scout out another Smash City candidate in the future too!"

"That would be nice..." Lucina mumbled before looking down, tears streaming down her face.

"Hey... what's wrong?"

"Captain..." she began, wiping away her tears. "I must admit... I've been thinking about the future a _lot_ while you were away. I have so many worries... if I'll be a good enough wife for you... if we start a family... a whole bunch of things. During that time, I just wanted you back here to guide me..."

"Sweetheart..." He briefly stood up, walked over to her and gave her a hug. "I know it must seem overwhelming... but I'm here for you. I'm sure everything will be fine."

"Of course..." Lucina hugged her future husband back. "One day at a time."

"Right." Walking back to his seat, he teased her with, "Better hurry before it gets cold!"

"Oh! Right!"

Once they were done, Lucina said, "That was wonderful. I'll have to thank Min Min when she arrives."

"Indeed." Eyeing the television, Captain Falcon suggested, "Why don't we watch that documentary after I shower?"

"Sounds great."

After Falcon showered, he walked over to Lucina clad in his two piece nightwear, the buttons on the shirt opened, his true face exposed. "So you got that CD from K.K. Slider, I see. _Stale Cupcakes_? It's a great song."

"It is," Lucina agreed. "I... thought of you when listening to it..."

"Awww..." The Captain cooed, sitting next to her and hugging her tightly. "See, you're already a wonderful future wife. Thinking of others like that..."

"Thanks, babe..." She kissed him on the cheek playfully. "Shall we watch?"

"Sure."

As the documentary restarted, the Captain commented, "The oceans, eh? You know me too well."

"How could I forget after our little lunch date on Mira?" Lucina quipped, giggling. Seeing a small octopus swim in the documentary, she said, "Look! That little octopus is so cute!"

"O-octopus?" Falcon questioned. "I guess they are kinda adorable..."

"The Octoling Girl would be interested in seeing this, I'm sure," Lucina added. "Since she can't, you know, swim due to how her species has evolved..."

"Seems like you two have become good friends," The Captain remarked. "I hear she's good with machinery too..."

"You think... if we take in Young Link as our adopted son someday," Lucina began, "That we could take the Octoling Girl in too?"

"Sure, why not," The Captain agreed. "Young Link would be happy to have a big sister."

"Yeah..."

"We'd obviously have to sort out that spare room first," Captain Falcon jested, the couple sharing a hearty laugh afterwards. "If we take her in, I really wanna name her Bridgett."

"We are NOT naming her Bridgett, babe," Lucina grumbled. "It doesn't fit her..."

"You have any better names in mind, then?" The Captain teased her.

"I'll... think about it." The couple laughed again before shifting their attention back to the TV. Eventually, they started to fall asleep.

"Hey..." Falcon began groggily, "Why don't we... stop it here and resume tomorrow?"

"Sure..." Lucina yawned, exiting the streaming service and turning off the TV. "So... we'll sleep on the couch this time?"

"Why not..." Falcon sighed as he and Lucina lay down on the couch snuggling each other. As he felt his fiancée run her fingers through his messy black hair, he whispered, "Just don't worry, sweetie. You can rest easy... Everything will work out. I just know it."

"I hope so..." Lucina sleepily murmured. "Good night, my love..."

"Good night."

_It may be hard to adjust to all this... but with him, I'm pretty sure things will all fall into place. It may not be exactly the same as it was before... but a bright future nevertheless still lies in wait. I know it._

_**Fin**_

* * *

**so, I wanna explain how this is a vent fic. For as long as I can remember, I've always had difficulty adjusting to drastic changes in my life. I mean like losing a long time friend, watching a family member suffer with parkinson's, constant unemployment for several years, people I care about moving away (especially since I get attached easily), and other such things. The quarantine situation has left me with my thoughts a lot too, thinking about missed opportunities, dreams i never got to accomplish, reminiscing how much simpler things were a decade ago for me, even having a lot of "flashback dreams" of my teen years and early 20s when I was still in university, maybe even before that. I dreamt big and none of it came to pass. And wondering if I ever _will _get to live a good life, cause at this rate, some people I want to share those experiences with won't be around anymore. And back to adjusting, I didn't know how to deal with much of the changes so i often shelled up, wallowing in misery. I missed some opportunities that granted were out of my control, but others... I let slip by and I often fear it'd be too late for some things. I sometimes worry some people i havent kept in touch with for a long time may die the next day, esp with this virus going around. Or even if they'll remember me. I guess it's also a lot of baggage over the years. Writing has helped me cope with most of my feelings, but soon, I think a tele-therapist may do a lot of good. I hope I'll be able to. Cause even when things seem to be going right, I feel a bittersweet feeling like something will eventually go wrong, cause it always has in the past and I guess I'm just used to things going bad at this point. I wish I wasn't.**

**I tried to capture those feelings in how Lucina felt. Not all of it, but some of the gist of it, the intent is there I guess. The whole "adjusting to changes", fears of a bittersweet future thing. **

**I also took this opportunity to develop the Smash City setting some more too. Some ATs/Spirits took jobs here, like the Style Savvy Stylist in another oneshot, the Squid Sisters here, and Chef Kawasaki. Lip herself makes a brief cameo when Zelda and Lucina are playing _Panel de Pon _against each other. (ps play that game, it's on the Switch SNES service. the menus are in Japanese, but there's a guide on YouTube for navigation) I figure this would be a nice way to naturally work in cameos. And yes, _Little Fairy Academia_ is an off brand parody of the anime _Little Witch Academia _(pls watch it if you're feeling down, it'll put a smile on your face!) and yes, according to the JP version of Splatoon 2's Squid vs Octo Splatfest, Marina has no qualms eating actual octopus (Octolings are just super evolved octopi) and Kent is a reference to F-Zero Maximum Velocity. A character of the same name claims to be CF's son.  
**

**and I know I've been slow to reply to some reviews, pms, etc. the last few months since the last time i wrote anything have been full of depressive episodes, up to today still. Finding means to self care is hard when I'm still dealing with random painful thoughts, things that almost send me into a panic, and the home life being ever so stressful, and that i just got laid off. Don't wanna go into detail but... it's tough, and maybe after writing a few more stuff I'll try to truly self care after trying to solve some of the causes of those thoughts, along with the aforementioned therapy. But hopefully soon I'll get back to all I've been missing and more, promise!**

**Love you all. Take care.**


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